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Scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arthropod animals of the order Scorpiones within the class Arachnida. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by the pair of grasping claws and the narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back, ending with a venomous stinger. Scorpions range in size from 9 mm (Typhlochactas mitchelli) to 21 cm (Hadogenes troglodytes). Scorpions are found widely distributed over all continents, except Antarctica, in a variety of terrestrial habitats except the high latitude tundra. Scorpions number about 1,752 described species,with 13 extant families recognised to date. The taxonomy has undergone changes and is likely to change further, as a number of genetic studies are bringing forth new information. Though the scorpion has a fearsome reputation as venomous, only about 25 species have venom capable of killing a human being. Scorpions have quite variable lifespans and the actual lifespan of most species is not known. The age range appears to be approximately 4–25 years (25 years being the maximum reported life span in the species Hadrurus arizonensis). Lifespan of Hadogenes species in the wild is estimated at 25–30 years. Scorpions prefer to live in areas where the temperatures range from 20 °C to 37 °C (68 °F to 99 °F), but may survive freezing temperatures to the desert heat.[24][25] Scorpions of the genus Scorpiops living in high Asian mountains, bothriurid scorpions from Patagonia and small Euscorpius scorpions from Central Europe can all survive winter temperatures of about −25 °C (−13 °F). In Repetek (Turkmenistan), there live seven species of scorpions (of which Pectinibuthus birulai is endemic) in temperatures which vary from –31 °C to 50 °C.[26] They are nocturnal and fossorial, finding shelter during the day in the relative cool of underground holes or undersides of rocks and coming out at night to hunt and feed. Scorpions exhibit photophobic behavior, primarily to evade detection by their predators such as birds, centipedes, lizards, mice, possums, and rats. Scorpions are opportunistic predators of small arthropods, although the larger kinds have been known to kill small lizards and mice. The large pincers are studded with highly sensitive tactile hairs, and the moment an insect touches these, they use their chelae (pincers) to catch the prey. Depending on the toxicity of their venom and size of their claws, they will then either crush the prey or inject it with neurotoxic venom. This will kill or paralyze the prey so the scorpion can eat it. Scorpions have a relatively unique style of eating using chelicerae, small claw-like structures that protrude from the mouth that are unique to the Chelicerata among arthropods. The chelicerae, which are very sharp, are used to pull small amounts of food off the prey item for digestion into a pre-oral cavity below the chelicerae and carapace. Scorpions can only ingest food in a liquid form; they have external digestion. The digestive juices from the gut are egested onto the food and the digested food sucked in liquid form. Any solid indigestible matter (fur, exoskeleton, etc.) is trapped by setae in the pre-oral cavity, which is ejected by the scorpion.Scorpions can consume huge amounts of food at one sitting. They have a very efficient food storage organ and a very low metabolic rate combined with a relatively inactive lifestyle. This enables scorpions to survive long periods when deprived of food; some are able to survive 6 to 12 months of starvation. Scorpions excrete very little; their waste consists mostly of insoluble nitrogenous waste such as xanthine, guanine and uric acid. Battle against the Tarantula A scorpion is feasting on the body of a cricket it has just caught. A turantula is sneaking through the undergrowth, looking for prey, when it feels the vibrations of the scorpion tearing into its prey. Is slowly, leg by leg, inches over to the scorpion untill it is at the side of it. It readies itself before leaping into the air. However its aim is off and instead of landing on the scorpion, as it planned, it lands right next to it, alerting the scorpion to its presence. The armoured arachnid slams it tail down at the turantula but it side steps the attack and strikes the scorpion with its large fangs, scraping the armour. The scorpion grabs on of the turantula's legs and slices it off but it hardley fazes the spider who runs around to the other side of scorpion and digs its fangs into the scorpions back. Unfortunatly the fangs do not prenetrate all the way into the flesh of the scorpion, instead getting stuck in the armour, leaving the turantula vunrable. The scorpion takes its chance and slams its tinger into the turantulas unprotected back. The turantula tries to squim free but the scorpion is having none of it and crushes the spiders head with its pinchers. The turantula stops moving and the scorpion yanks it out of its armour. It lays the turantula on the ground and begins feasting on its body. Winner Scorpion Experts opinion The scorpion won due to its armour which stopped the turantula from killing it and its multitude of weapons which made short work of the turantula. Category:Animals Category:Arachnids Category:Invertebrates Category:World Wide Animals Category:Venomous animals Category:Carnivores Category:Arthropod Category:Insectivores Category:Desert Animals